Question 6

What were the causes of the Spanish Civil War?

Introduction

• 2^nd Republic 1931 had troubled history
• Popular front won 1936 elections
• Popular Front – Republicans, Socialists and Communists
• Opposition feared Communist takeover
• Led to revolt by army officers and civil war

Paragraph One: Background Causes

• Long tradition of separatism in Spanish regions
• Hostility to those who favoured united Spain

Paragraph Two

• The army unpopular because
• Corrupt
• Money spent on campaigns of no benefit to Spain
• Used to keep starving peasants in order
• 1917 army coup produced no improvements

Paragraph Three: Society

• Great divisions
• Hostility between rich and poor especially over land division
• Landless peasants – braceros
• Rich had huge estates
• Carlist Movement supported Church
• Also opposed liberalism
• Many turned against Church (associated with Carlists and its great wealth)
• Town and country populations grew apart
• Countrymen supported Carlists and opposed modern ideas
• Industry undeveloped in towns
• Poor bitter towards government

Paragraph Four: Politics

• 1875-1917 landowners operated corrupt democracy
• Democratic ideas discredited
• Encouraged violence and terrorism
• Helped anarchist views – popular among poor
• Latter attacked government, Church and landowners

Immediate Causes

• Republic that lasted 1931-36 failed because:

One

• Came into existence at difficult time
• World economic depression – food shortage and no work
• Fascist groups e.g. Falange Espanola small but had great influence
• F.A.I. (anarchist group) emerged
• Socialists and Communists demanded state ownership

Two

• Moderate republicans (President Azana) tried to please rich and poor
• This angered opponents and annoyed friends

Three

• Land
• 1932 Agrarian Law feeble – peasants annoyed
• 1934 farm labourers’ wages lowered
• 1936 Popular Front came to power – peasants seized landowners’ property

Four

• Church
• Government attacked Church – unwise; more urgent matters
• Gave scope for its real enemies  to organise their opposition (Fascists Army and landowners)
• Many areas loyal to the Church – government attacks on it made more enemies for it than friends

Five

• The army
• Its role was critical – Republicans ignored danger from it
• They failed to see that they couldn’t rule without it (Spain bitterly divided)
• Government mistakes:
  • no attempt to form a new people’s army
  • many officers anti-Republic – some resigned to plot in secret
  • generals against government willingness to allow parts of Spain to break away

Six

• The outbreak of war
• By 1936 regular violence and resistance to authority
• Government unable to keep order
• Lack of confidence in government as result
• Also – government kept changing policy
• Army decided to take action
• The revolt was planned for April 1936 – delayed
• 2 events persuaded the generals to act:
  • possible workers’ dictatorship planned
  • murder of Calvo Sotelo (opposition leader) – he was opposed to the Republic
• The 2 events gave the generals stimulus for action – revolt began in July